FOUR rhinos were found lying side by side in the veld near Grahamstown yesterday with their horns cut off.

KILLING FIELDS: Police investigators conduct tests on the four rhinos that were found in the veld with their horns cut off near Grahamstown yesterday Picture: DAVID MACGREGOR

An early morning drive at Lalibela Game Reserve turned to a horror show for a group of tourists and their guide when they came across three rhinos lying dead and a fourth “kicking and frothing from the nasal cavity” as it clung to life – a mere 500m from the busy N2.

There was initial suspicion that a nearby watering hole may have been poisoned, however later yesterday it was confirmed the animals had in fact been darted.

A team of at least 20 police, Green Scorpions and conservationists yesterday took blood from the dead rhino and water samples from…